Evaluation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Characteristics in Pediatric Acute Transverse Myelitis Presenting with Paraparesis: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Acute transverse myelitis is basically inflammation of one or more segments of the spinal cord, commonly in children. The purpose of the study was to determine the abnormalities in children with acute transverse myelitis detected on MRI. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Diagnostic Radiology Department of the Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Seventy pediatric patients aged 0-15 years, diagnosed with acute transverse myelitis, underwent MRI of the spinal cord. Data were collected using convenient sampling following ethical committee approval. MRI findings, including T2 hyperintensity, spinal cord swelling, and post-contrast enhancement, were recorded and analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to assess associations with age and lesion location. Among the 70 children studied, 68 (97.1%) exhibited T2 hyperintensity, 63 (90%) showed spinal cord swelling, and 16 (22.9%) displayed post-contrast enhancement. The most common levels of abnormality were identified in the thoracic region (50%), followed by the cervical region (42.9%) and the lumbar region (7.1%). Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities were more common in pediatric patients of acute transverse myelitis presenting with paraparesis. This study demonstrates that MRI abnormalities, particularly T2 hyperintensity, spinal cord swelling, and post-contrast enhancement, are commonly observed in pediatric patients with acute transverse myelitis presenting with paraparesis. The thoracic region emerged as the most frequently affected area, with children aged 6-10 years representing the majority of cases. Keywords: Acute transverse myelitis, Magnetic resonance imaging, Paraparesis T2 hyper intensity, Post contrast enhancement. DOI: 10.7176/JMPB/75-02 Publication date: January 31st 2025